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Customer Ratings & Reviews

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Customer reviews

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars with 709 reviews

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  • Value

    Rating 4.6 out of 5 stars

  • Quality

    Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

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    Rating 4.6 out of 5 stars

89%
would recommend
to a friend
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 35 Showing 681-700 of 709 reviews
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Malia

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    One camera is Miss from the package and I did request for replacement but couldn’t get any response

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Wouldn’t recommend

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    Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Would never recommend this product. First of all the sales girl knew nothing about it but pretended she did so I got wrong information. These cameras are ok at times but they are fixed and the battery runs out much much faster than they say.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from Amazon Devices Customer Support
      Posted .

      CatherineM,

      Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with the Blink Outdoor cameras. We're sorry to hear that your experience didn't meet your expectations.

      Regarding the misinformation you received in-store, we apologize for any confusion this may have caused. We will share this feedback with our retail training team to ensure better product knowledge among our staff.

      About the battery life: While the two-year battery life is based on default settings and typical usage, factors like frequency of activations, video length, temperature, and settings can affect battery performance. We'd be happy to help you optimize your camera settings to extend battery life.

      If you'd like, our technical support team can assist you with:

      Battery optimization tips
      Ideal camera placement suggestions
      Any other concerns you may have

      Please contact us at 1-888-280-4331. I hope this information is helpful to get your device working properly for you. Thanks for the feedback, AmazonDevices

  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Monthly subscription payments to view footage

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    Posted . Owned for 3 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Subscription payment needed to view your own footage. Other wise you are unable to see any footage at all .

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from Amazon Devices Customer Support
      Posted .

      Hi Ruby, I’m sorry for any confusion around viewing footage with your Blink Outdoor 4 system. A Blink subscription plan is required to store and access recorded video clips in the cloud, which is standard across most smart home security brands. You can, however, use a Sync Module 2 with a USB drive to store clips locally without a monthly fee. For more details or help setting this up, I recommend contacting Blink Customer Support at 1-833-392-5465. We appreciate your feedback and hope you have a great day! AmazonDevices

  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    too high

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    Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    not valuable. for the price i paid for it,better buy something else.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from Amazon Devices Customer Support
      Posted .

      Thank you for your feedback, GastonC. We're sorry to hear that you don't feel the Blink Outdoor 4 camera system provided the value you expected for its price point. Our customer service team is also available if you'd like to discuss your concerns or explore other options that might better suit your needs and budget. AmazonDevices

  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    No local storage option with this package.

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    My collection of blink devices keeps growing. This is the first Outdoor 4 wireless camera I am adding. In order to use a wireless camera, you must have a sync module. They can not be used on wifi alone like Blink wired cameras. Therefore, it is nice that this comes with one, because it allows you to add it to your system if you don’t already have one. However, there is something important about the sync module that is provided here, It has no local storage. I already had a Sync Module 2 that came with my Blink doorbell. Prior to getting the Sync Module 2, I had a Blink subscription which allows video clips and such to be stored on the cloud. After getting the Sync Module 2 though, I found I was able to store video clips to the module, and I didn’t really need the other features the subscription offered, so I cancelled it. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the subscription, and I thought it was worth the monthly cost, but my situation changed to where I didn’t really need all it had to offer, and the Sync Module 2, with local storage, met my needs. I first took this Outdoor 4 camera, and connected it to my existing Sync Module 2. It took almost no time at all. You just scan the barcode on the camera with the Blink app on your phone, install the included batteries, and confirm which network you want to add it to. Then, I decided to add the included sync module to my network. This was easy as well, but in doing so, it removed my Sync Module 2. You can apparently have only one sync module on your network at a time. I didn’t figure this was a problem and I had other plans for my Sync Module 2. I wanted to make sure the local storage option was working, because I did have trouble getting it to work at first with the Sync Module 2, but couldn’t find the option. That was when I finally realized this Sync module has no local storage option. It is called the Sync Module Core. So, all it does is allow you to add wireless cameras like the Outdoor 4 to your network, but it has no local storage. In order to have that, in order to allow the storage of camera clips, you have to pay for a subscription. I think this means the core is really only included for people who are getting a wireless blink camera, which won’t work with their wifi, and they don’t already have a sync module. Since it doesn't have local storage, I wouldn’t actually recommend this package for anyone unless you know you really plan on having the monthly subscription, or are fine with only being able to connect to the camera and view it in real time. If neither of those are your use case, you would be better off to buy the camera separately and then buy a Sync Model 2, which uses USB flash drives, or a Sync Module XR, which uses SD cards. If you do indeed know that you plan to always have a subscription, then this should work fine for you, but if you ever change your mind, just be aware, you will need to buy a different Sync module. All of my other cameras are either in my house, or attached to my house facing away, because they need power. This wireless option just opens a whole new world of possibilities. I got this to keep an eye on my back fenceline on a 1 acre lot, where someone keeps throwing yard waste over my fence and into my yard. I don’t usually know when it happens and may not notice it until long after it has. Now, I will get a notification in real time when it happens, and I will have a recording of it. The camera is subtle too. Barely noticeable where I placed it in my back yard. There are so many other things you could use it for and I see myself getting more. You could put it on the back of your mailbox post facing your house to have a view of your driveway and the exterior of your house. You could put it on your mailbox post facing the other way, or even inside your mailbox to get a notification when your mail is delivered. You could point it at a birdhouse, a feeder, or a nest. Where I placed it is quite far from my house, and it seems to work fine. The picture is also nice and clear. If you do go with the subscription, they also have filters you can use to prevent false alarms. For example, you can set it to only activate when it detects a person, or a car. This doesn’t work without the monthly subscription though. If you do have need for such features, a subscription is well worth it, but even then, having a sync module with storage is still good to have, because cloud based clips are subject to deletion, and your clips can be backed up to your sync module with local storage so they won’t get deleted. I am a fan of the entire Blink ecosystem. I am very satisfied with this camera. My only reservation would be to caution that this package offering is really intended for people who plan on having the Blink subscription. What is here is still 5 stars for what it does. It would have been better, in my opinion, with a sync module that supported local storage, like the one that came with my doorbell. As I think it could be better, and I can't really think of why you would need a sync module without local storage, I would dock this half a star. As I don't have that option, I am going to cut one star, because it could be better with a different sync module.

  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    It is almost impossible to install

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    It is almost impossible to install on my cell phone. I called and they didn't solve anything for me. The best thing I did was return them and buy another brand.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from Amazon Devices Customer Support
      Posted .

      Hi JohnO,

      Thank you for sharing your experience with the Blink Outdoor 4 camera system. We're sorry to hear about the difficulties you encountered during the installation process and that our support team wasn't able to resolve your issues effectively.

      While Blink cameras are designed to be user-friendly, we acknowledge that the mobile app setup process can be challenging for some users. We appreciate your feedback as it helps us identify areas where we can improve both our product setup process and customer support.

      If you'd consider giving Blink another try, we've recently updated our app interface and setup guides. However, we respect your decision to choose a different solution that better meets your needs.
      Thanks again for your feedback. AmazonDevices

  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great Outdoor Camera

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I currently use several blink devices including two doorbells and four indoor cameras, so I had some expectations adding this device. Blink met nearly all of them. Let's talk about the setup. If this is your first time using Blink, you should find this very easy and straightforward. If you currently use Blink devices and are upgrading the hub, there is something to be aware of - the devices (cameras, doorbells, etc.) DO NOT automatically transfer to the new hub! At least there was nothing I could find that would transfer devices to a new hub. So that means you have to re-add every device to the new hub. Frankly this can be a huge pain, especially if your cameras are mounted in high or out-of-the-way places. Otherwise, the setup is just as before. I subscribe to the cloud service as well and this has continued to work flawlessly. Notifications do seem to be slightly delayed since changing hubs, which I really did not expect. The images and video are captured appropriately, but the notification I receive on my phone is about 8 to 10 seconds slower than before. With the camera it isn't as much of an issue, but with my doorbells that is a bit of problem, especially when trying to talk to someone. Just something to be aware of. Video quality is excellent. Depending on placement, it is likely you will need to adjust the activity zones. This camera picks up all movement from quite a distance. However, with a little fine-tuning I managed to get this set for my needs and it has functioned great. The images are clear and the angle is great for covering a large area. I don't suggest dropping the camera, but I did while installing it. The exterior shows no signs of damage and the camera works like a charm. It has tolerated 100+ degree temps and a couple thunderstorms without missing a beat. So I would say this is ceetainly rugged enough for residential use. For reference, the camera is about 50 feet from my hub and I've had zero issues with connectivity. The hub also stays connected to my Wi-Fi without issue with a distance of about 20 feet and two walls between them. Overall I am very happy with this camera and hub. I took off a single star because of the additional steps needed when changing hubs, and the fact that is not mentioned anywhere so it took some digging to figure that out. The slight additional delay in notifications also played a part in my one star decrease. But as far as the actual quality of the camera itself - excellent.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Where is my order?

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Still waiting… ordered early august and still nothing.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Don’t buy the little black mini

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    Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Awful picture quality compared to others by the same company. The others are great!

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great little security camera

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Safety and home security go hand in hand. I like to keep an eye on my home and am like to try the latest in home video security cameras. This isn't the first time I try Blink security cameras, so I am somewhat familiar with the Blink camera concept. To start, the Blink - Outdoor 4 – Wireless smart security camera is really small. So, it is discreet and easy to hide from intruders. This is an added bonus. Another new update for the Blink system is the new much smaller and more ellegant looking sync module. It's no longer the bulky square block that took up a large portion of your electrical outlet. The only downside to this is that there is no way to mount it to a wall. A bit double-faced tape solved that issue though. But, this is my only issue with the Blink - Outdoor 4 – Wireless smart security camera. Aside from that, the Blink - Outdoor 4 – Wireless smart security camera is battery powered. It comes with two lithium AA batteries. So, this means that you will have to configure your camera settings accordingly if you expect to get good battery life. So far, it has been holding up since I mounted it about one week ago. The mounting process is relatively straight forward. Just about anyone can do it. Two screws, pop the camera into the mount, and you are pretty much done. As for the wifi connection process, anybody can do that. Overall, the Blink - Outdoor 4 – Wireless smart security camera is a great way to keep those smaller outside areas of the house secure.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great Camera for a Blink System

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I have been using a Blink system at my house for years now and this camera is a great addition. Similar to other Blink devices, this camera is powered by lithium batteries that last a good year or two. (Blink states they last for two years, but the frequency with which the camera is used, in addition to the temperature of the environment can have an impact. Regardless, the app does notify when the batteries are running low and there is plenty of time to replace them before they finally die out.) I have been replacing older generation cameras with these updated outdoor 4 cameras and have been happy with the results. This camera has enhanced motion detection, the ability to detect people (although that requires a Blink subscription plan), and allows for two-way communication through the smartphone app. I was originally concerned that the included mount for the camera would not stay in place (or work very well), but I stand corrected on that concern. The mount is simple and allows for a full range of motion when setting up the camera. Lastly, I have this camera outside and it handles the elements without any problems. The camera itself supports up to 1080p resolution, which I obviously not 4K. Then again, the bandwidth and, I suspect, battery power required to capture at such a high resolution would probably undermine some of the benefits of the camera (namely, its battery life). Ultimately, if purchasing a new Blink system or looking to upgrade older generation cameras, this Blink Outdoor 4 camera is worth the cost.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Crappy battery life

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    Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Battery keeps saying they are dead even when I put new ones in!

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from Amazon Devices Customer Support
      Posted .

      Hello, BrittanyP. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review on the Blink Outdoor 4 cameras. I am sorry to hear about the experience you are having with the product and have some recommendations to try and help fix the problem. First, I recommend rebooting the cameras. You can do this by removing the batteries, waiting a couple of minutes, then reinserting the batteries and waiting for the camera to power back on. I also recommend ensuring you have a good Wi-Fi connection to the Sync Module and that the Sync Module has a good connection to the outdoor camera. I hope this information is helpful. If you have any other questions, please contact Blink Customer Support at 1-833-392-5465. Thank you again, and have a great day! AmazonDevices

  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great camera!

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Great camera! I’ve been using the Blink Outdoor 4 for a few weeks now, and overall, I’m really pleased with how easy and reliable it’s been. Right out of the box, setup was a breeze—the Sync Module Core got things up and running quickly, and pairing it with the app was smooth. The 1080p video quality is solid during the day, and surprisingly clear at night, which gives me peace of mind when I’m checking in on the house after dark. I love how compact and low-profile the camera is—it blends in without looking bulky or drawing attention. The motion detection is responsive but not overly sensitive, so I’m not bombarded with alerts every time a squirrel passes by. The real cherry on top is the two-year battery life, which means one less thing to constantly worry about. For a simple, no-nonsense outdoor security option that still packs useful features, this camera is a win in my book. It’s just nice knowing it’s there, quietly doing its job. Overall, a great camera at the right price point. Would definitely recommend to anyone.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Camera May be Low-Priced but it’s Big on Quality

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    We have had a Blink camera system and Blink doorbell with annual subscription for about seven months now and really do like it. So, the app was already installed on our Android phones. I chose this Outdoor 4 camera and its accompanying Sync Module Core for use on our deck as a separate system than our main system that provides security for the house. My wife wanted to see what type of critters came up on our deck during the night looking for food. That required different settings than the cameras that watch our home. We are using it more like a trail cam for our deck. The unboxing and set up was easy peasy. My suggestion to anyone setting up these Blink modules and cameras would be to use the QR code that Blink so conveniently displays in just the right places on the boxes and on the devices themselves. The Sync Module Core was discovered quickly, and I installed it as an additional system on the Blink app. The only other piece of information you needed to know is your Wi-Fi password. After that we put the batteries in the Outdoor 4 camera, and it was discovered and installed by the Sync Module Core. We used my phone to install the Sync Module Core and camera. Then, when my wife went into the Blink app on her Android phone, the additional system for the deck was already there waiting for her to use. Then it was just a matter of screwing the adjustable camera base in place on our deck railing, snapping the camera in place on the mount, and pointing the camera in the right direction. I also adjusted some settings for the camera inside the app. I named the camera Deck. You can change this anytime you want or if you move the camera and want to assign a different name. I turned the Status LED to Always Off so that it wouldn’t light up when it was recording and spook an animal. I walked the Motion Sensitivity up one setting at a time over a period of days from the default of 6. We now have it set almost to its maximum setting so that it will trigger no matter how small the animal or bird. I love how you can set/unset motion zones with your fingertip or stylus on a thumbnail of what the camera sees. Truly a graphic user interface. Because this camera is easily accessible on our deck to change the batteries without a ladder, we decided to up the Video Quality to Best, lengthened the Motion Clip Length to 20 seconds, and set the IR Intensity to its maximum of High. All are settings that reduce battery life. So far, we have observed two different feral cats, two different possums, and a family of three raccoons that have visited our deck during the night and some even during the day. The videos are always sharp and well illuminated. The infrared night vision is very good, and we can reliably see what type of animal has visited our deck. The enhanced motion detection is very good. You can also touch the camera image in the app and go to a Live View to see what’s going on in real time using the 1080p HD resolution. We haven’t used the two-way talk feature on the deck camera yet, but I would imagine that hearing our voice blaring out in the middle of the night would stop any catfight that was occurring. My wife is looking forward to that as at least once a month we are awoken in the middle of the night by catfight. I like to mention that we use the two-way talk feature on our Blink doorbell frequently when we have to tell the UPS or FedEx delivery driver to just leave the package as we will be home in a few minutes. It seems they like the courtesy of being able to talk to the delivery customer. They are quite used to it. They say these cameras have a two-year battery life, depending on usage. We can’t attest to that yet because the existing Blink system has only been in place for seven months. It has taken thousands of pictures and videos and none of the cameras have needed a battery replacement. The new camera on our deck has only been in place several days but I don’t imagine it would be any different except for the higher battery usage settings that I have made. I am very happy with both our Blink camera systems. It seems that the Blink engineers have hit on a way of making the cameras sip energy so that the batteries last a long, long time. This isn’t our first camera system. In fact, it is our third system in 15 years, but the first that doesn’t force us to recharge the batteries every month or two. We are happy with our Blink system. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a reasonably priced camera system to install around the house or business. In fact, I recommended the Blink cameras the day before yesterday to a gemologist who was thinking about putting cameras around his house.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Lights! Camera! Action! Even in the dark!

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This Blink Outdoor 4 Camera should be an essential item for anyone that lives in the real world. It takes only minutes to install the application on your phone, register the device as well as the Sync Module(s) (included!) that acts as the Hub for your camera(s) within your WiFi Network and should you choose to, the Blink "cloud service" that comes with a free trial period and then you can pay for the service, again if you choose to do so! I have mounted this camera to view our front door and it works very well. I am so pleased that I had my son go to our local Best Buy and purchase several more of these excellent cameras as well as a Sync Module 2 which has a built-in USB-A port for local recording. To activate motion detection recording, simply choose the "Armed" setting in the software for the Sync Module that controls the cameras you wish to "Arm" for motion detection. If you have the Sync Module 2 you can review your recordings on a PC via the USB drive. I have yet to do so but it should be very easy. The mounting hardware is simple and straightforward. Additionally, there is a "piggyback" battery pack that extends the life of the power supply to up to 4 years (standard is up to 2 years). These are also available at Best Buy. Battery life will vary with how often the camera is called upon to record or being viewed "LIVE" by you and when it is "Armed" it will record more often with motion being detected. I also installed the Blink Home Monitor application onto a new desktop Windows 11 machine. This will be discussed in a future review of that PC. You can easily view your cameras anytime and anywhere you have a cell signal via your phone. Simply open the application on your phone, select the Sync Module associated with the camera(s) you want to see and then choose that camera! I use an iPhone 16 Pro Max to do so and it works great!! The video is clear and I can even hear what is going on within the camera's range. You can also converse with someone that is on-camera and they with you! Excellent! If you have the Module set to "Armed" it will alert you via the application on your phone of motion and you can then view what is going on at that particular camera. I select "Armed" on the Sync Modules for nighttime or when I am away from home for security reasons and they will turn on when motion is detected and alert me via my iPhone and the application. Be aware that the wind blowing a nearby tree's branches that is in the field of view of the camera or cars driving past it will likely activate the motion detection and alert you via the phone application! The cameras associated with the Sync Module 2 (if you have one) will also record and the recording is "looped" so that when it runs out of space on the USB drive, it will record over starting with the oldest video being recorded over first., Each camera can only be viewed one at a time on your phone. There is also an application for iPads and I will be installing that later on my 9th Gen iPad but I want to thoroughly test it on the aforementioned PC first! Night and low light viewing activates the automatic Black & White viewing/recording mode and this is a feature of many professional cameras. The image is still quite good and if there is enough light to do so, the picture will be in color. If you have an Amazon Echo 8 or larger, you should be able to put multiple camera images on it at one time. I do not have one of these monitors but may get one to try it out at a later time as I am satisfied with the cell phone's view of each camera for now. And speaking of being satisfied, I am very pleased with the Blink Outdoor 4 Camera and Sync Module. In my career as an Electronics Technician, I have installed and used several CCTV/DVR security systems over the years, many costing $100,000+ and more, and for home use I think that the Blink Outdoor 4 Camera and Sync Module is an excellent, AFFORDABLE and very easy to use system that almost anyone can install and use with ease at or away from home. I am so impressed that as I said, we purchased more of these cameras to monitor our home and this also gives us additional piece of mind when our young grandchildren are visiting. I am so impressed with the Blink Outdoor 4 Camera system that I have spoken to my brother and his wife and have offered to set up a system for their home in Oregon. Like us, they are both seniors now but unlike my wife and I, they have a very nice vegetable garden and 5 egg laying hens to look after and the Blink Outdoor 4 is PERFECT for doing that and more! Highly recommended? YES!!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Simple & easy - but a catch

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This is my first Blink home security camera, and I'm impressed in multiple ways...but a little let down in one. I'll start with the letdown...it's the app/monitoring situation. The Blink app is quite slow to update the video feed when you access it, and the frame rate is also quite low (looks like 10fps or similar). So, if you're looking to use this device for real-time monitoring, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. But, if you're only looking to use it for security purposes, I think this limitation won't be that much of an issue for you. (I was hoping to use this to monitor my pets when they are outside and sadly, it's not working well for that purpose.) Now, the good (and there's a lot!) - The setup could not have been simpler. There's a QR code in the box to scan and the Blink app leads you through every part of powering the camera on, getting the sync device setup, and loading the camera into your app. Installing/mounting the camera was super simple too - just 2 screws were needed and everything just snapped together. The camera quality is also fantastic. The image is clear, and the night vision mode works seamlessly. I've only had the camera installed for a week so I can't speak to the claimed 2 year battery life, but even if it doesn't hit that...it's just 2 AA batteries, and they'll be easy to change when that time comes. All in all, this is a great camera...it's just not for you if you're looking for some real-time monitoring.

  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    One of the best

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Blink cams are my go to camera for monitoring my mothers home, my home, and my RV. The absolute best part about these cameras, in my opionion, is that the base does not require you to connect it directly to your home router. This gives you the ability to place the base station where ever you get the best signal. I have been known to even set one up temporarily inside my car to monitor overnight (when I lived in LA due to break ins) It works great for that as well as long as your wifi signal is good or you have it connected to a hotspot. The second great thing is that it uses batteries and absolutely sips energy. The battery life is expected to be two years and while im waaaay too hands on to come close to that, I get a solid year and change. Pretty good still. The image is good enough to pull details like plate numbers, shirt graphics, or other identifying marks. The cameras also support two-way audio and that comes in pretty handy too. Finally, you dont need a subscription to use these but it does enhance the feature set and offers cloud storage of your files if you want redundancy since the base has an SD card slot to save your files locally. You really can not go wrong with these little guys.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Outdoor camera security

    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    So easy to set up. Didn't even need to ask my kids for help. Great, clear images and audio.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Versatile, easy-to-install wireless security cam

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Keeping tabs on what is going on outside your home, day or night, is pretty darn easy with the Blink Outdoor 4 camera. This assumes, of course, you have a smartphone and know how to use it, since setup depends entirely on the Blink app and your ability to use your phone's camera to scan several QR codes along the way. If you have mastered those skills, you can have the Blink Outdoor 4 set up and running in just a few minutes. Just download the app, then follow the prompts to get your sync module connected to the app (via QR code) and your wi-fi network. It uses AC power and connects via an included USB power brick. Than add the camera, after installing the included batteries ( good for "up to 2 years") , using another QR code scan. (Helpful hint: The code is INSIDE the battery compartment of the camera, not on the back as the app suggests). The small weatherproof camera comes with a simple but serviceable ball and joint mounting system (with self tapping wood screws) , which makes is easy to attach and aim to get your desired view. The lens provides a very wide angle view, which is good and bad. The good is it covers a lot of real estate. The bad is everything looks very far away unless it is very close to the camera. So don't expect to be able to identify faces at more than about 15 feet This particular model is the entry version and comes with a bare bones Sync Module Core. That means it is the least expensive and ONLY saves motion-activated photos and videos via a cloud subscription service. You get 30 days free after initial setup but must pay a monthly or yearly fee after that. The least expensive plan for a single camera is $10 a month or $100 a year. Otherwise, you still get motion alerts but only have live views of whatever is going on. And cannot record anything. (Those disinclined to buy a subscription should opt for the more expensive version of the Blink Outdoor 4 that comes with an upgraded sync module 2. It has a USB port and therefore can store photos or videos generated by the camera locally via a USB drive. You have to supply the drive but it's a lot cheaper than a subscription.) The Blink Outdoor 4, the company's newest version, provides a sharp , colorful HD image in daylight, but gets somewhat muddy after dark. It can still see at night with the help of a built-in infrared light, which you can set to be motion-activated, just like the camera. But night views are in black and white and lack contrast, which means some things are barely more than just shapes. Still the Blink Outdoor 4 made it possible for me to discover that a small group of deer graze my yard almost every night. The system also records sound (at your option) and allows two-way communication with anyone the camera sees. If you subscribe to the cloud service, the Blink Outdoor 4 gains some extra skills, like being able to trigger and/or alert you when it sees people. General motion is always detected, and triggers video recording for the number of seconds you set. The app also displays thumbnails of all triggered events to make it easier to sort them out. The Blink Outdoor 4 is not perfect but it is a relatively inexpensive way to set up a wireless video security system around your house, without much effort. If one cam is not enough, you can add more to the system. Just touch the plus sign on the app home screen. They all can work off the same sync module. Just be aware the subscription costs for cloud storage go up (to $300 a year) for two or more cameras.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    A Good Product (with a couple caveats)

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Blink - Outdoor 4 – Wireless smart security camera with Sync Module included seems to be a good choice. But there are a couple caveats. First of all, it’s light, and fairly simple to set up and use. There are no detailed instructions in the box so you must install the app before you can actually get started. As far as help with setting it up, the app was helpful for adding the Sync Module (which you must do first) and for adding the camera. However, when it comes to finding instructions for how to attach and use the mounting hardware, you have to search through the app menu to find it. Not intuitive at all. I finally found what I needed via the camera Settings | Help menu, which took me to a helpful support page. Once set up, the Blink - Outdoor 4 worked great. Good image quality day and night, ability to set sensitivity levels and zones, decent sound, IR capabilities, and, of course, options for notifications, recording, and AI detection of animals and/or humans. This is a great set of features which are fairly standard with modern security cams. It claims to run for 2-years using 2 AA batteries, which I cannot address. I did need to take the batteries out and then place them back in after 5 seconds in order to get it to reset after if fell off a table. They also offer 2 tiers of subscriptions, which I appreciate. The basic plan is only $30 per year and offers all you need for a single-device set up. The Plus plan is $100 per year and handles multiple devices. My main caveat is the design of the mounting hardware. Once I was finally able to locate the instructions for assembling and using the hardware (this took a call to support), it was very straightforward. It is easy to mount and there’s a couple options according to whether you want the base to be horizontal or vertical. However, the design issue I don’t like is this. The mount snaps into the camera in the same circular opening you need to access for changing the batteries. This means you need to unsnap the camera from the mount before you can replace the batteries (or briefly remove them for a reset). If the batteries truly last for a year or more, I suppose that’s really not much of an issue. If they need to be accessed more frequently, I’m concerned about the inconvenience, but more than that, it feels as if the strength of the connection between the mount and the camera will weaken over time. It’s simply a plastic piece shaping into another plastic piece without any catching mechanism to hold it into place. That makes me a little nervous. However, please remember this is my initial concern and I have not used it long enough to validate my concerns - other than the simple inconvenience. Because of this, I will still recommend the Blink Outdoor 4. My caveats may not be that big of a deal for your usage. Otherwise, the whole Blink security system, including their excellent doorbell cam, is a solid offering.

    I would recommend this to a friend